Center iron



E. L. JONES ET AL CENTER IRON Nov. 24I 1925- Filed Aug. l5. 1922 IRA tatented hier'. 254i,

unirse srATEs PATENT orties..

ELTON L. JONES AND HAB/Rf( B. DAVIS, JR., GF TAFT, CALIFORNIA.

CENTER IRON.

Application filed August 15, 1922. Serial No. 581,939.

To all 'who/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that we, ELTON L. Jones and lliri-:nr B. Davis, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Taft, in the county of Vlern and State ci California, have invented a new and useful Center iron, ot which the iliollowingl is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in center irons which are used in oil well equipment to pivotally mount a walking` beam on a cSamson post where by the walking` beam may impart a reciprocating motion to actuate an oil pump.

Center irons for this purpose are commonly constructed having two separated members or castings adapted to be bolted to each side of the Samson post and each providing a bearing or halt'bearing- :tor one or the trunnions of the saddle on which the walking beam rocks. lith such aV construction the bearings are difficult to align and do not tend to remain in permanent alignment. This causes an unnecessary wear on the bearings` an increase in the friction` shortens the lite of the center iron and rcquires considerable attention. Furthermore7 the bearings are diiiicult Vto properly lubricate and dust, water-.and other foreign matter may work into the bearings.

An object of this invention is to provide a center iron in which both bearings are Alfmfmed .in the saine casting lor member and thereby maintained in permanent alignment.

Another object oit this invention is to ln'ovide bearings which are enclosed, permitting.` the bearings to retain the oil, and preventingl dust, water or other 'Foreign matter containinating the bearings. Y

Another object otthis invention is to pro vide the bearing with a reservoir 'for maintaining' a supply ot oil whereby the bearings may he thoroughly lulnicated and will require less attention.V

Another object of' this invention is to decrease the number of parts required in aA center iron.

.Another object of this invention is to eliminate the diiiiculty of aligningthe bearings when securing the center iron to the Samson post.

Another object of this invention is to provide a more economical and sturdy center iron.

lith the foregoingpreliminary remarks this invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following draw- -thereby 4forming' a. bearing` 1.2 at'each end ings, illustrating a preferred embodiment ol" the invention.

`Figure l is an elevation ot this embodiment of the invention illustratingI part oit G0 the oil well pumping equipment with the center iron secured to the Samson post and pivotally supporting the walking beam, one end ot which is broken ott' to contract the view. 55

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. l with the walkingbeam sectioned as indicated at 2--2 in Fig. i..

Fig. 3 is an end elevation sectioned as indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. l. 70

Fig. 4; is a front elevation sectioned as in` dic-ated by the line t-Ji in Fig. 2.

Rei'erring;I to the drawings, we have illustrated in Fig. l an upright Samson post 2 held in place by a number of braces 24C. 7 ln the figure these braces are shown as constituting' part of an oil der-rick. To the upper end oi the Samson post 2 is secured the center iron which is used to provide a walking;` beam 4 with a pivot bearing. 80 rlhe center iron consists mainly in a supporting' member l, a saddle member Sand two con'iplementary cover plates 5.

The supportinpl member 1 consists of a body portion 9 which is provided with 85 two opposed downwardly extending anchor plates G which are intended to abut opposite faces ot the Samson post 2. The anchor plates 6 contain a number ot openings 7 through which bolts 8 may be passed 90 and secure the supporting member l, to the Samson post 2. The body portion S) shaped to provide a longitudinal groove l0 which is transverse to the axis of the Samson post 2, semi-ci1.'enlar in section and 95 closed at the ends by flanges 1 1 provided by the body portion 9. At opposite ends ot the longitudinal groove 10 'bearing meta-l is placed around the`semi-circular groove,

loo of the groove. The body portion 9 is provided with bosses 23 of which four are shown. These bosses are threaded to ac commodate bolts 2O and positioned at each p side the bearings l2. m5

The saddle member 3 contains at seat 13 on which the walking beam. 4f. rests. Said seat 13 is provided with a number of openings le. through which bolts 15 may be passed and secure the saddle member 13 to the walking beam 4. The seat 13 is recessed to enclose the heads of the bolts. The

saddle member 3 is further provided with a portion 17 extending beloiv the seat forming tvro trunnions 1G which are adapted to lit the bearings 12 ot the supporting member 1.

rl"he bearingslQ and trunnions 16 maintain the extending portion 17 of the saddle 3 above the bottom ot the groove 10, thus providing a space or oil reservoir 18 intermediate the bearings 1Q.

The cover plates are shaped to contain bearing material forming upper half bearings 19 which tit over the top of the trunnions 16. The cover plates are provided A with flanges Which enclose the upper ends ot' the bearings and trunnions, and further provided` with bosses Q3 having openings through Which the bolts 2O pass securing these cover plates 5 to the supporting member 1.

1t can be seen that by providing in one member or casing both bearings for the saddle, these bearings are permanently aligned, that the oil reservoir and 'flanges covering the bearings will provide proper lubrication to the bearings and that the bearings can not be contaminated by dust,

Water or other 'foreign matter.'

lVhile the particular embodiment described is Well suited iter the purposes of our invention, it should be undestood that various modifications of the same could be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention. Our invention is not limited to the particular embodiment shown but is or" the scope set forth in the following claims.

7e claim:

1. A center iron for mounting a walking beam or the like, comprising` a one piece supporting member providing a horizontal trough closed at the ends and having opposed anchor plates depending trom adjacent the ends ot said trough, bushings positioned at opposed ends ot said trough and spaced apart, a .saddle member having a downward extension terminating in opposed trunnions, revolvably mounted by said bushings, the saddle member being shaped to leave an oil chamber between said bushings, and complementary cover plates having depending end flanges adapted to enclose the trunnions from above and at their ends.

2. A center iron for mounting a Walking beam or the like, comprising a one piece member having a horizontal semi-cylindrical groove in its upper side and 4having parallel anchor plates extending below said groove adjacent the ends thereof and ribs extending along the outer side oi said anchor plates and at right angles thereto, spaced apartbushings positioned at opposed. ends oit said groove, a saddle member having a depending extension terminating in trunnions revolvable in said bushings, and complementary cover plates having depending end 'flanges adapted to enclose the said bushings trom above and at their ends.

S. A center iron 'for mounting a Walking beam or the like, comprising a one-piece member adapted to closely fit the upper end of a Samson post,` said supporting member providing a trough closed at 'the Vends and having opposed anchor plates depending from the adjacent ends or the trough, bushings positioned at the ends of said trough and spaced aaart, a saddle member having an outward extension terminating in opposed trunnions revolvably mounted by said bushings, the saddle member being vertically spaced to provide an oil chamber between said bushings and complementary cover plates having depending flanges adapted to enclose said bushings `trom above and at their ends.

4:. A center iron for mounting a Walking* beam or the like, comprising a one-piece member adapted to closely tit a Samson post and to rest upon the upper end thereof, said one-piece member having a horizontal semicylindrical groove in its upper side and having parallel anchor plates extending beloiv said groove adjacent the ends thereof, and rods extending' along the outer side of said anchor plates and at right angles thereto, spaced apart bushings positioned at opposed ends of said grooves, a saddle member hav-l ing a depending extension terminating in trunnions revolvable. in said bushings, and cover plates adapted to receive complementary bushings and having depending end [ianges adapted to enclose said lnishings Vtroni above and at their ends.

Signed at Taft, California this Sth day of August, 1922.

ELTON L. JONES. HARRY B, DAVS, Ju.

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